New Year's Question
by BearSent176
Summary: An end of year party among the friends and families of our two intrepid heroes that has more than bringing in the new year in the works. An 'Out There, In Here' one shot set a few weeks after the end of the anchor tale. Hope you enjoy.


**Hello again, and welcome to our tale. Here for your pleasure is one of several one-shots from the writing team of BearSent176 from the 'Out There, In Here' storyline.**

**We appreciate all those who've followed along and left a review or message or two, or so, and as promised, here is another chapter of the tale.**

**But to sum up, it was quite the road Ron, Kim and the gang traveled to where the tale left off in the main story, and this is just one more step along the way. There will be a few more to come along, and they are not necessarily in chronological order from the end of the main story to the end which will come in time.**

**So, skipping forward just a bit from the end of the last chapter of our main tale, we find ourselves at the end of what had been a very tumultuous year for quite a few folks in Middleton, and as the tone of the holiday suggests, the potential for better and brighter days are just ahead, as one year ends and another begins.**

**And you will find out how the old year ends and some of what lies ahead in the new, but not until you start reading…**

New Year's Question

_December 31st. Middleton, Colorado:_

"Ronald do you need any help? Barb and I are here for you.", Anne Possible asked after Kim had been shooed out of the kitchen for the third time.

"No worries, Mrs. P, I got it, but could you keep KP out for a little longer?", Ron asked the older red head, nodding to the door where he could see Kim peeking into the kitchen, again.

With an amused smile, Anne turned to her daughter, "Kimmie, would you keep an eye on that darling little sister of yours?"

"Sure Mom I'd love to, but Ron sometimes lets me help out over at the Stoppables', and I thought with so much for him to do that I could help him out in there.", Kim frumped really wanting to be more help to her guy who had taken on all the cooking for the large party planned for that evening.

"I know honey and someday you will be doing more than then, but we have to get a lot done before you guys head back and get changed. And you just don't have enough experience in the kitchen yet like we do, so if you watch over Hanna, you'll be helping us even if you aren't in here with us."

"Well, when you put it that way, I'd be happy to."

At that moment, a frazzled Barb Stoppable came up behind the red heads, carrying her very hyperactive daughter. "That's great Kim, now it's your turn to keep track of Hanna."

Then narrowing her eyes at the younger redhead, "And this should also help serve as a reminder not to feed grape juice to a toddler….especially one who runs on ceilings."

Following along behind her were an equally disheveled Dean and James. All three seemed to have been put through a giant food processor that had been set to 'Shred'. "Anyway, hopefully by now she may be ready for her nap."

"OK maybe grape juice wasn't the best idea, but she acted like she knew what she wanted…."

"Oh she _wanted _it alright, you should know not to give babies everything they want Kimmie-cub. Especially this one.", James frowned. "Today I've seen enough energy expended by this little tyke to power the envisioned Moon Base for six months."

Then chuckling to Kim with a knowing gleam in his eye, "I haven't seen a child run amok like that since you were three years old."

"Daddy! I was never that bad, the Tweebs were far worse than I could ever be.", Kim countered her Dad not realizing that he had a vivid memory of certain events and was ready and able to comment on them…with visual aids of said events if need be.

Dr. Possible raised his eyebrow at that challenge. "Everyone follow me into the family room, I've kept some old photo albums handy for when I get nostalgic…I've had them out since Kimmie disappeared, and have gone through them on occasion since her return, or after the wedding in Japan…", he paused wistfully.

Then narrowing his eyes in amusement at his only daughter, "And for times like these when you want to embarrass your children with pictures from their childhood."

Sighing before he turned back to the den, "Honey are you alright?", Anne asked.

"Huh? Oh yes right as rain Annie. It just hit me of just how fast things have come from the day you and I brought Kimmie-cub home from the hospital, through her younger years and all the adventures of hers we've witnessed, and how that young man in the kitchen was right beside you every step of the way from your first day in Pre-K."

Then, looking to Kim and then to the kitchen, "Oh and Kimmie-cub I can't tell you enough that I approve of Ronald. No matter what I've said aloud...in the past or may say in the future, your young man is good for you. He may not have a world class intellect, but there is much more to life than IQ levels or any other artificial measure we may choose for others. There is…."

"Luv.", Hanna interrupted from her place in Kim's arms.

"Yes Hanna-cub, there is love. You know little girl you seem to always have the right idea. So would you like to see some pictures of Kimmie when she was as old as you?", James asked as he pulled out a large, somewhat old, and well-worn book and opened it up.

"Yeah Unca Peee.", Hanna giggled from her seat in Kim's lap.

Turning a dog-eared page, "Ok honey, I remember these. Kimberly didn't really get into her first Christmas, but her second, one she was into everything.", Anne smiled as Barb left to help Ron while Kim and Hanna watched on from her spot next to her Father.

XX

Entering the kitchen Barb Stoppable asked her son, "How are you doing Ronald?", quite aware he had the party situation under control but used the moment to talk with him in privacy.

Donning an apron, she stepped closer to assist Ron should he need any help.

"Good Mom, I hope KP isn't mad, but I can do it faster by myself."

"She's not mad honey, just upset about wanting to help and being put on baby watch."

Then stepping right up to him and whispering conspiratorially, "You know, after this is all done you two will need some time alone to relax from all this hoopla."

"I will…I'm just nervous about all this. I want her to have the perfect party."

Leaning back with a smirk, "Here you are this strange kind of warrior hero person we never realized was living right under our noses and you're worried about _this_?"

"Yeah Mom I _am_ worried. Kim doesn't have a clue what will happen later today and I want to do this right for her. And with all that, all our friends will be here…I want this to be perfect, that's all."

"Are you certain that's all you have on your mind, Ron?", his Mom asked, sure something else was bothering him.

"Yeah, the last few months questions have been swirling around us about our status as a couple. We've been able to satisfy most of the doubters out there as to whether we're together for the long haul, and keep at bay those who believe we've been more than a dating couple.", he said while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Anyway, soon it won't matter about any of that, and after graduation none of that will make a difference after the wedding. But there are still those will never be satisfied…"

Cutting through all the well known ramblings of her son, "Ronald is Kimberly pregnant?"

"Huh? No, no she's not… At least I don't think she is... I sorta promised Mr. P, remember?"

"He asked you to call him James.", Barb reminded him.

"I know, I'm trying Mom, but I've been coming to this house since I was just out of toddler phase. It's real hard to break old habits, but I'm trying real hard. I want him to be proud of me."

"He _is_ proud of you honey, that I have no doubts about. But do you know what he's doing right now?"

"No Mom, I've been in here. You know that."

"Well I'll take over for a few minutes; you wash your hands and go to them."

"But I have all this work…"

"_Ronnie_, I am not inept in a kitchen, now shoo.", Barb ordered

Ron did as instructed by his Mother, washed his hands then removed his apron and exited the kitchen.

_'Good he's finally gone Anne and I will have this done in a few minutes._', Barb smiled as the plan both women and their husbands came up with worked as they hoped.

"Hi guys what cha doin'?", the blond teen asked as he entered into the family room.

"Looking over some old albums.", Kim replied as Hanna reached for her brother.

"I'll go see what Barb is up to, I'll be back in a bit.", Anne announced as she left to meet up with her co-conspirator.

"See ya in a bit Annie.", James smiled as the distraction plan worked, "Now here is Kimmie tearing into my new tackle box…she had things everywhere, so it was a good thing I didn't get any hooks or lures for Christmas that year."

"Oh boy KP, you _were_ a busy little girl.", Ron laughed, until he glanced at the 'eye' his wife was giving him, "And the most adorable little girl too...but I think it's a tie between KP and Hanna on the adorableness scale."

"Nice save ninja boy.", Kim finally told him after a long pause punctuated by an icy glare.

"Hanna-bear this is Kimmie and her favorite teddy bear.", James pointed out the red head toddler holding a very large stuffed toy, "She carried that thing everywhere."

"I wonder where my old Huggy Bear is?", Kim mused, wistfully looking at the picture.

"Well honey, we had it patched up so many times and it was falling apart..."

Gasping, "Dad did you throw it away?"

"Huh? No, no we didn't. After the last time we put it away in Anne's Hope Chest. As far as I know it's still there.", James explained, "Why don't we go and see if we can find it?"

"What's a Hope Chest KP?", Ron whispered.

Suddenly at a loss for words, "I...uh, well it's a 'girl' thing Ron.", Kim was a little embarrassed that she had never explained to Ron the identity of one mysterious, to him, piece of furniture in a corner of her room, "I sorta keep blankets and comforters in mine."

James hearing the question and motioning for them to follow, led them into his and Anne's bedroom, deciding some enlightenment was in order, "Son, in some parts of the country traditions were handed down for generations and one of those traditions was that of a 'Hope Chest' for girls, where little girls stored prized possessions, some from their childhood, some handed down to them by family members, for their marriage.", he explained as Kim eagerly nodded while Ron listened to something that was completely alien to him.

Then pointing to a piece of furniture in a corner of the room that was about two feet high by two feet wide and four feet long, "And in my opinion the 'Cadillac' of them all is made by Lane ®, but I digress… and getting back on track, some traditions have fallen by the wayside, but in Anne's family it was still a thing that was followed back in the '60s to this day.", he said smiling brightly.

Opening the chest, "This chest is lined in Cedar so that things stay fresh and helps slow the deterioration that normally plagues items handed down through generations in families. We store some of our albums, which to us, are very treasured possessions of the family that we wish to hand down to _our_ children someday. In some areas of the country these chests are prized heirlooms and are handed down from grandmother to granddaughter. Sometimes they are even listed in Wills. Not as many get these chests any more as even a few years ago."

"So Lane ® is this one's manufacturer and the 'Hope' part is sorta about a girl hoping where her heart is going?", Ron inquired as Hanna seemed to be interested in the chest.

"That pretty much sums it up Ronald, and just so you will be prepared, someday Kimberly is going to have to move her chest with her when she moves out."

"Daddy, I'd like to leave it here till Ronnie and I get out of college. You know if that's alright with you guys?", Kim asked.

"We'll do that honey just like anything else you need to store.", James smiled happily as one of his insecurities involving his daughter moving away and not seeing her for a long time was solved for the short term.

The forced absence of the teen then the events over the summer really worried and sometimes overwhelmed him enough that Ron and Kim both had to come rushing over a few times during the fall to his 'emotional rescue'.

"KP?", Ron asked.

"Yeah honey."

"Do you think that when our first girl comes along we might get one for her?"

"Yeah they're not _that_ expensive."

Shocked, James looked at the couple wide eyed, "Kimmie-cub, are you? Uh...I mean..."

"Huh? Daddy?...Uh, NO! I'm not...Ronnie was talking about in the future. We talk about the future a lot. Nothing to worry about yet.", Kim smiled, easily seeing how James could catch the mix up.

"Whew that's...uh not that I'm complaining mind you."

"Daddy, it's not our time yet. We have our whole lives in front of us and we have to get through high school and college yet.", Kim reassured her Father, calming him down.

"When we make the effort and have positive results we will notify all you guys, OK?", Kim promised.

Relieved at this bit of news, he turned to the chest, "OH here's that old bear.", James said as he pulled it out and removed it from a sealed plastic bag used to protect it.

Wistfully, "Daddy…she's just how I remember her.", as Kim reached for her old comforter, "I had her before I met Ronnie, Hanna. I guess your brother sort of took her place."

"I think I'll put her back now that I know she's safe right where she is.", Kim sighed as Ron and Hanna embraced her.

"Sure.", the father breathed a sigh of relief as he put the toy back in the chest, "Now let's go see how everything is going."

"Yeah I'd better get back ta work or we might never get done.", Ron added realizing that both Mothers were missing and probably trying to make headway into the dishes he had planned for the evening.

X

_Later_:

"Again welcome everyone and Happy New Year. Now something very important has come to my attention. Dean, Barbara, Anne and everyone let me introduce Ron Stoppable.", James Possible announced.

After the applause finished Ron began, "Thank you for all coming tonight and sharing this wonderful New Year's with the Possibles and Stoppables. Now I want to do something that has been on my mind...and I think a lot of people's minds for a while. Kimberly Anne…KP."

Kim stepped out in front as Ron moved to her.

Then Ron got down on one knee and held up a small box he had removed from a pocket. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and sharing my life forever?" Behind Kim, Dean Stoppable and James Possible gave each other a 'knuckle bump'.

Kim sighed, "It would be my honor Ron.", blissfully extending her left hand to receive the ring she knew was in the box he held before her.

Joyful at reaching this point in their lives, as well as getting one step closer to their upcoming 'Public Union', later in the coming year each focused fully on the other.

From bended knee Ron opened the little velvet covered box, removed the diamond and emerald bejeweled gold ring and with trembling hand slid it on the ring finger of Kim's offered hand.

After briefly admiring the ring, Kimberly Anne Possible bent over to grab her blond 'Fiancée' by his shoulders and help him to his feet. After glancing at her friends/rivals she embraced the young man who had asked for her hand, then pulled him into a deep kiss in front of all of them.

Bonnie Rockwaller shrieked, finally relieved to be able to spread the word, "They did it! They did it! Those two losers finally did it!"

"They sure did Bonnie. And...", Josh responded as he glanced at the platinum blonde tightly holding onto his arm, slightly shaking her head.

"And **what** Mr. Big Time Artist?", the teal eyed brunette frowned, still put out by the fact that those in the know about the end of summer activities in Japan hadn't mentioned one thing about it to her, Crystal and Liz. Though they did learn from the memory loss fiasco a few months ago that Kim and Ron were secretly married while over there, they never got the full story, and it irked Bonnie so.

"I mean you guys go to Japan and you don't give anyone a straight answer when asked about that trip."

"Why, what do _you_ think happened over there? Remember Monique was with us and there is no way she could have _ever_ kept quiet if something had happened.", Tara replied using that Southern Bell accent that seemed to come to her so easily nowadays.

A scathing look at her best friend, "Don't con me for a second T. The rest of the girls in the cheer squad wanted to get into Stoppable's trousers ever since those pictures went viral on the net." Then casting a glare, "And then you, Kim and Monique worked behind the scenes to stamp it out throughout the entire high school. Heck, even Reiger backed off posting that 'stuff'." Bonnie huffed in frustration.

"What can I say Bonnie, we didn't want a riot on our hands with these pictures and videos still active at the school. It would have been so disruptive at school with all the girls clamoring for Ron to be their boyfriend while he was already dating Kim.", Tara countered.

"Yeah, but I at least wanted a shot at him myself.", Bonnie frumped.

"Well you have your own boyfriend now Bonnie, so why don't you leave it at that?", Josh suggested as Felix and Monique walk/rolled up.

"Yes I do, but he's not around right now." Bonnie sniffed, "Junior gets cold easily."

"Yeah I heard jails _are_ drafty Bonnie.", Josh snorted.

"He's not wanted in this country.", Bonnie shot back.

"But I've heard that he is in several others.", the artist countered.

XX

"Five, four three, two, ONE! Happy New Year!", those gathered in the Possible living room called out amidst the noisemakers and confetti.

Couples kissed and hugged, welcoming in the New Year. Among them was a newly engaged, yet secretly married, couple of teens.

"I love you Inushi.", Kim whispered as she took Ron into her arms, her face lit in anticipation for the kiss she was about to receive.

"And I love you too, Kimko.", Ron whispered back before leaning down and giving as good as he got in that embrace.

"Whoo hoo!", Liz called out upon seeing the heated buss, "Hot _springs_ tonight!"

"Knock it off Liz; you lost out on the pool.", Bonnie groused. Then looking around the room, "Now where's that mole rat?"

X

"Well Jim, at least that's out of the way.", Barb Stoppable said in a low voice as she looked around for Hanna, hoping she wasn't into anything _too_ dangerous. "What's next?"

"Well Barb I think between you women you'll have everything planned out in a few weeks.", James winked as he watched his daughter and her covert husband share another kiss.

X

_A few minutes later:_

Gathered in a corner Ron Stoppable looked at three of his friends, "I...I didn't know who to ask to be the Best Man guys, I mean you all mean so much to me for everything that you have done. But I had to decide and I want Felix to be my Best Man. Josh, Wade would you guys be my Groomsmen? You'll be there along with a couple of guys from Japan who are going to be here too."

Smiling, the young men nodded their agreement.

"Thanks guys, I'll get us a fitting set up.", the blond told them.

"When are you planning on 'the' wedding for real Ron?", Felix quietly asked, "It'll have to be before the end of summer, because Josh and I are going to be out of state at college by then."

"The middle of June guys...right after we graduate. The Church is already reserved and Mom and Mrs. P already have their gowns ordered.", Ron grinned, "I think we have a room for the reception set up that will handle about five hundred."

"So are you gonna have anyone _special_ to take care of _security_?", Wade snorted at the memory of the guys in black and that weird night in his backyard last summer.

Chuckling, "Oh nobody special, just some guys called the _'Y Team_'. Ever hear of them?", Ron casually replied.

A huge smirk from Wade, "Oh I don't know I might be able to look them up. Bet they're pretty good.". Then with a puberty-laced grin, "So Ron, I've gotta ask…how are you enjoying _it_?"

The only answer he got for a moment was a growing grin on the blond teen's face and a momentary glint of blue in those brown eyes.

Josh perked up, "You dog! Is Kim?" a little too loudly before realizing he was suddenly the center of attention of several girls from the cheer squad who didn't know the full story about Kim and Ron. Recovering, Josh sheepishly covered his mouth with a hand.

Leaning in closely, "Huh? Oh...that? No, Josh, no she's not. We promised remember?", Ron whispered, then changed the subject before anything else could slip out, "Anyway how are you and Tara doing?"

"Better than good, that little blonde really keeps me occupied."

Ron looked at the artist, "So, when are you gonna pop the question?"

"Not for a while Ron; Tara and I don't have the same background together like you and Kim had.", at Ron's nod of agreement, "So we've got to go through the usual stages in our relationship that you two went through over the years as being friends before we can even get to that.", Josh replied.

"It was easy for you Ron, you had Kim as a friend for a long time before...", suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, Josh looked around and noticed more than a few curious eyes staring their way, "You know...you, ah, asked her."

"And if you remember some of that time she was chasing you...You know I almost screwed it up."

"Yeah ya did, but all of us got smarter Ron, all of us.", Josh said when he pointed over to Kim and Tara, who seemed to be having a private conference in a quiet corner of the room.

Looking curiously in that direction, "I wonder what's going on over there?", Josh asked as he noticed Monique quickly joining the other two ladies, the discussion getting more animated upon her arrival.

"I think that KP is doing what I'm doing right now."

XX

Giving her a slow wink since so many not-in-the-know were nearby, "Well Moni I promised to ask you...So, how about it? Do you want to be my Maid of Honor?", Kim asked her best girl friend.

Monique with tears in her eyes replied, "GF you know it. It would be my honor to stand alongside you guys."

"Tara would you like to stand up there too? I want you to be a Bride's Maid."

A sheen in her eyes, "Yes Kim, I'd love to be a part of your Wedding.

XX

Crystal and Jessica stood with their twin boyfriends. "Well I guess it did work out for the best.", Jessica told her friend as Tim Meecham slipped his hand into her hip pocket.

Tom Meecham added, "Well at least we have you two to ourselves now."

Giving him a kiss "Yeah you do." Then pensively shaking her head, "And after all the time that's passed, I'd come to realize that I was in lust with Stoppable back then...But it all worked out in the end."

Then looking to the other three, "Do you guys want to head out?", Crystal asked, "I want to go and do a little dancing before we go home."

"Yeah, we're done here; we just wanted to see what the big deal was.", Jessica replied, "Now we know and once and for all it's blatantly obvious that Ron's off the market.", Then teasing Crystal, "You know, you almost wrecked it for Kim last fall."

Weakly trying to deflect the attention to that little detail from her life, "No! It's…that.. I didn't.. I was just trying to motivate her. Ron had **no** interest in me...ever."

"But you had some interest in him..."

"That was just to get Possible's attention Jessica, well after Kim got back I guess. Look it turned out all right. No one in their right mind will try to tear those two apart. (Sniff) If they do I'll kill 'em."

"And I'll help you, come on boys let's tell them congrats and get out of here. We've got some dancing to do before the night is over."

XX

_The Stoppable house, a few hours later:_

"Wonnie snuggle up to my back pwease.", the sleepy auburn haired young woman asked softly. "I'm cold."

Groggily coming to, "Huh...yeah, yeah sure KP." Ron soon learned that Kim _was_ cold as he wrapped a hand around her middle and drew her closer to him. Gingerly he slipped his other arm under her neck.

"Hummmm that's better.", Kim sighed as she turned her head in search of his lips. After finding them she gave him a soft peck and then rolled back over and snuggled into her pillow.

Before drifting off, Kim rested her hands on her husband's. Giving them a squeeze, she felt Ron return the sentiment to her tummy, and then both slipped peacefully off to a night filled with dreams of Ninja Heroes, Warrior Princesses, Weddings…and Love.

XXXX

Well there ya go, the die is cast for the rest of the year. A bit still to 'splain from earlier to help all involved reach this point still in the planning stage, but fear not a bridge one-shot is coming to take care of the questions many had about the fiasco in Kim's kitchen in the Fall.

When I can write the darn thing.

For his part Sentinel is busy writing two major stories at the moment and he is very busy where he works. He was very lucky to only be working forty hours a week while he wrote most of his work and the job will cut into some of his production. He does however write everyday trying to get two chapters a week, one for himself and one for Bearsent. The one for Sent should begin to post before Christmas and will be very long; it already sits at around 350K.

But now for the disclaimers: Kim Possible and all characters familiar to the program portrayed in this tale are the property of the Disney Empire safe ensconced behind a phalanx of lawyers on perpetual retainer. In no way did we include them in our little tale for monetary purposes and have no desires to do so.

All others mentioned in this tale are our own creations, unless they are someone else's, which we graciously accede to their claims.


End file.
